THE DEALER FROM WHOM I BOUGHT THIS PIECE DESCRIBED IT AS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED: A PETAL WAS MISSING FROM THE LOWER PART OF THE FLOWER. WHEN I RECEIVED IT, I WAS TOTALLY DISMAYED: THERE WAS PRACTICALLY NO FLOWER, ONLY A CORE. YET, THE LEAF HANDLE WAS INTACT. 10" TALL, POLISHED PONTIL., THE FIRST EXAMPLE I HAVE SEEN OF THIS TYPE OF GLASS, WHICH I HAVE LABELED "KRALIK CHINE"--THE SIMILARITY TO LOETZ ZEPHIR CHINE IS OBVIOUS, AS ARE THE DIFFERENCES, SINCE LOETZ CHINE IS NEVER BI-COLOR. THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS A ZEPHIR CHINE SHELL, BY THE WAY, ALSO DAMAGED (THE TIP IS MISSING).

THE QUESTION IS: IS IT WORTH IT TO HAVE A DAMAGED PIECE IN YOUR COLLECTION? MY ANSWER IS: YES, DEPENDING ON RARITY. AS MUCH AS IT PAINS ME THAT THE FLOWER IS ALMOST NON-EXISTENT (EVERYONE HERE KNOWS MY FONDNESS FOR BOHEMIAN GLASS FLOWER ITEMS), THIS VESSEL, EVEN IN ITS POOR CONDITION, CONSTITUTES A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF KRALIK'S EARLY PRODUCTION. ANY COMMENTS?

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Comments

David Littlefield, 4 years agoMy own take on it is that you can own this damaged piece until an intact one comes along, and then replace it with the new one. I like to have at least one example of each decor in my collection, and will often settle for a damaged piece until I find an (affordable) intact one.

IVAN49, 4 years agoThe answer is given: ``DEPENDING ON RARITY``. Besides, the glass is already hundred years old and not for sale, not an investment, just saved and retired with someone who cherish it. I doubt very much an intact one will come along to replace this one. It happens sometimes, but life is too short to wait for rare intact pieces.

vetraio50, 4 years agoYes is my answer. How much one should pay for it is another question. Even damaged pieces may have a value based on rarity and demand.

LoetzDance, 4 years agoI love to look at and study my glass. While I would prefer to have all perfect pieces in my collection, I know there are many pieces that I could never afford if they were perfect. I also want to own at least one example of each decor so I will purchase a damaged piece if I know it is rare and it will most likely take a long time before I can find a perfect example. It is more important to be able to hold and study an example of a particular decor than to wait until I can find the perfect example. You can look at photos but they will never give you the depth of detail that having the actual piece in hand will give you. I have also found that there is a strong market for damaged pieces so if you purchase a piece right in the first place you should be able to get your investment back when you find a replacement piece.

LoetzBuddies, 4 years agoOne good answer is : every museum in the world has damaged pieces. I am usually a perfectionist........but I can think of one wonderful Quezal vase I have that was offered for sale with "a pontil fissure in the making". Maybe it is and maybe it isn't but I got a $8,000. vase for $2,000.

AnneLanders, 10 months agoas I grow my collection I wonder if I would want one. I have accepted manufacturing faults and on a rare coloured tango a slight hairline and another manufactured dent in the rim of a large vase. All I will say is, it must be an informed choice. If the seller is honest and discusses this with you at the time of purchase then fine, you decide.

I just wonder what goes through the mind of a seller when they think "oh they wont notice" or "its just a little chink, it shouldnt be a problem".

But the beauty the internet and digital photography has brought us it the ability to see for ourselves. With the clause still be ware as quite often photography can be doctored or omit the area concerned. I'm often wary of sellers who say "the photographs form the status of the condition". No the sellers has an obligation to honestly described.

Under consumer law here in Australia if a customer asks a seller is their any damage the seller has a duty of care to be honest and describe as best of their knowledge if the item has damage. It's also a fairly unwritten law by antique dealers that it's bad sort to do otherwise. At fairs when they all get together it's interesting to see the different ways they all deal with this. I know many of the dealers now and you know the ones who will tell you straight up and those that don't....life is full of these type of situations..